Sajjan Kumar Sentenced to Life for 1984 Riots: Old Age Cited as Mitigating Factor

A Delhi court sentenced former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, citing his age and illnesses as reasons for not imposing the death penalty. The court noted the brutal nature of the crimes while considering Kumar's potential for reform.

A Delhi court has handed a life imprisonment sentence to Sajjan Kumar, a former Congress MP, for his involvement in the murders during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. This decision comes as the court took into account Kumar's advanced age and health issues as mitigating factors against the death penalty.

Despite acknowledging the gravity of the killings of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh, the court stated that it was not a 'rarest of rare' case warranting capital punishment. The judgment reflects Kumar's supposed potential for rehabilitation, bolstered by satisfactory jail conduct and ties to society.

Kumar's sentence aligns with a prior Delhi High Court ruling for his involvement in similar violent incidents post-Indira Gandhi's assassination. The verdict has sparked mixed reactions from victims' families, who have expressed a desire for a harsher sentence.